ANIMATED FILMS AS A TEACHING RESOURCE
Joseph E. Champoux The Robert O. Anderson Schools of Management The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico 505.277.3237 Voice mail: 505.856.6253 87131 USA
505.277.7108 (FAX) Email: champoux@unm.edu
Journal of Management Education 25:78–99
18 February 2000
Animated films have created ". . . a place where natural law has no authority, where ducks may have tantrums and rabbits may be witty, where a cat can break into a hundred little cats and merge into one again, where mice and men fly without wings and dogs explode and birds run faster than jets" (Kanfer, 1997, p. 15). Anything can happen in an animated film. Wile E.
Coyote can chase the Road Runner, smash into a wall, and reemerge in seconds to pursue his prey again. Realistic?
Perhaps not, but such scenes are entertaining, funny, and a rich teaching resource. Previous issues of this journal have carried many examples of using film in teaching but they focused on live-action films. Gallos (1993) proposed several films for teaching reframing. Harrington and Griffin (1990) proposed Aliens (1986) for teaching power and leadership. Ross (1996) described and Comer and Cooper (1998)
analyzed The Age of Innocence (1993).
analyzed Disclosure from a gender relations and sexual harassment perspective. I propose that we add animated film to our teaching resources. As described later, animated films have
characteristics that let them show organizational behavior and management concepts in unique ways. This article describes several aspects of animated films and gives a brief history of this film genre. It argues that
animated films are a rich teaching resource for use in organizational behavior and management courses. The article
1
includes examples from several animated films, all linked to management and organizational behavior concepts. ANIMATED FILM Animated film captivated early film critics because of the unique viewer experience offered by such films (Peet, 1929; White, 1931). 341): "Unhampered by any such classical limitations as dramatic unities, or even such customary necessities as the laws of gravity, common sense, and possibility, the animated drawing is the only artistic medium ever discovered which is really free. . . . [Y]our imagination is immediately propelled up, down, across, around, through and in between its own legs; it is lifted dizzily to a high trapeze for a workout in a gymnasium which recognizes no physical limitations whatever." Film animation has several forms (Crafton, 1996; Hoffer, 1981, chap. 4). Frame-by-frame photography of hand drawn or Creighton Peet wrote in 1929 (Peet, 1929, p.
hand painted images known as cel-animation was a dominant form beginning in the 1920s. previous one. Each image differed slightly from the
These slight differences appeared as movement
when projected on a screen. Computer animation has grown as an important cinema art form since the mid-1960s. Artists create part or all of the
animated images with computer software and output those images to color monitors, film, or videotape (Bendazzi, 1994, chap. 2
27).
Toy Story (1995) was the first feature length animated Casper (1995) was the
film completely created with computers.
first film in which computers created all images of the lead character (Kanfer, 1997; Konigsberg, 1997, pp. 71-72). Growth
in computer animation continued into the late 1990s with the release of Antz (1998) and A Bug's Life (1998). Drawing from Walt Disney's qualifications of a good animator, we can see some unique aspects of the illusions created in animated films (Kanfer, 1997, pp. 84-85). of action was a key qualification. Caricature
The need to exaggerate and
show the funny side of animal and human action created strong viewer effects. Such efforts focused on the effect of such
viewer illusions with a clear understanding of what causes laughter. An animated film director has tight control of all aspects of presentation, including defining images, defining a character's personality, staging scenes, timing actions, color saturation and tonality, music . . . (Adamson, 1974). The list
is almost endless with the history of animation showing the extraordinary creativity of people in this industry (Barrier, 1999; Bendazzi, 1994; Kanfer, 1997; Klein, 1993). Perhaps all
these characteristics were reasons film critic Roger Ebert noted in his review of Mulan (1998): line to my imagination: "Animation often finds a direct
It's pure story, character, movement
and form, without the distractions of reality or the biographical baggage of the actors" (Ebert, 1998, p. E5).
3
These unique features of animated films help them work as an effective teaching tool. for this assertion: The visualization of animation can create strong, lasting images of concepts. Animation offers alternatives to live-action scenes that can increase the variety that one brings to the classroom. Strong caricature in animated film can powerfully show concepts. Exaggeration in animated film helps link abstract concepts to visual symbols. Borrowing from Roger Ebert's observations, animation can help us link concepts directly to the minds of our students. TEACHING WITH ANIMATED FILM A common misconception about animated films held by some of my students and colleagues views all animated films as silly Saturday morning cartoons. Cinema scholars consider it a The following are the main reasons
serious artistic medium (Barrier, 1999; Bendazzi, 1994). Students would likely want some assurance that they should seriously view any animated scenes you use. For these reasons,
I give my students some background about each film and the selected scenes. The film and scene descriptions that appear
later have this information. You can use animated scenes before or after presenting theories and concepts (Champoux, 1999a). 4 I show scenes that I
select for visual symbolism before discussing any material. scenes from Antz described later are an example of such symbolism.
The
Viewing scenes after presenting theories and concepts lets you use the scenes as a video case. Give students the needed
theoretical and conceptual background and then show the scenes. Students can offer an individual analysis of the scenes or they can work in groups. Full-length animated films work well as homework assignments. Students can usually rent the film inexpensively.
You can give such assignments as part of regular course work or as an extra credit assignment. ways. I have successfully done it both
Films such a Toy Story (1995), Antz (1998), The Little
Mermaid (1989), and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) work well in this application. Prepared discussion questions help move students to a discussion of the scenes. You can give students copies of the
questions, project them onto a screen, or describe them orally. I suggest presenting the questions both before and after showing the scenes. The film scene descriptions that appear later all
have related discussion questions. SELECTED ANIMATED FILM SCENES The remaining sections describe animated film scenes that show different organizational behavior and management concepts. The concepts selected represent some major content in organizational behavior and management courses.
5
I briefly describe the film, selected scenes, and give some discussion questions. Estimated start point, end point, and
running time appear as numbers between parentheses. Strategic Planning Strategic planning and resulting strategies focus an organization and its managers on long-term goals. The strategy
typically describes the allocation of resources to reach these goals. An organization's strategy is not static. It must
change in response to changes in the external environment (Mintzberg, 1987a, 1987b). Wile E. Coyote has a single long-term goal: Runner and eat him. catch the Road
Wile E. never develops a successful Everything backfires and ensnares
strategy and related tactics. or harms him.
The Road Runner always escapes with flair.
Coyote and Road Runner cartoons offer entertaining demonstrations of strategy and tactics. Although these cartoons
show their failure, my students find them amusing and associate several incidents with concepts of strategy, strategic planning, and tactics. The cartoons are short, usually about seven They are
minutes long, fast paced, and painted in vivid colors.
faster paced than live-action films, giving a gripping portrayal of strategic thinking. Chariots of Fur (Color, 1996, 39 minutes, No rating) (Publisher: Warner Home Video)
6
This collection of Coyote and Road Runner cartoons includes the debut of Chariots of Fur (1996), the first new Road Runner cartoon in thirty years. Chuck Jones, the Road Runner's
creator, directed it and produced it with his daughter Linda Jones Clough. You can see its contemporary character compared For
to the others in the collection by modern references.
example, early in this cartoon, Coyote encounters a sign in the road that reads, "Warning The Surgeon General has determined that chasing Road Runners is hazardous to your health." Scenes (Start: 0:03:54 -- Stop: 0:10:32 -- 6 minutes)
The scenes start with the title screen reading, "Chariots of Fur." They end as the iris closes on Wile E. Coyote jumping
down the road chased by one of his lightening bolts. Questions Does Wile E. Coyote carefully define his strategy for catching the Road Runner? Does Coyote fully understand an important part of his external environment--the Road Runner? Does he carefully adapt his strategy and tactics to the changing circumstances he faces? Analysis This updated cartoon shows Wile E. Coyote in another pursuit of the desirable Road Runner. Coyote never develops a
well-defined strategy based on an analysis of his external environment--the Road Runner. The Road Runner shows his
flexibility, speed, endurance, skills and tactics that help him
7
succeed.
Coyote does not adapt to his changing environment and
the information he gets about the Road Runner. The opening "Free Bird Seed" tactic backfires because of the Road Runner's flexibility; he is in two places at once. Later, Coyote tries the cactus decoy but the Road Runner easily changes course around it. lightening bolt weapon. The cartoon closes with the Coyote tests its effectiveness, Road Runner shows his
something he does not typically do.
flexibility, speed, and endurance by outrunning the lightening bolt that eventually finds Coyote. Coyote is an example of a manager moving forward in a headstrong way without a clear plan. analysis or clear analytical planning. He does little careful Wile E. deals with
events as they happen instead of outlining contingencies and preparing for them in advance. Road Runner is an example of a
competitor with the skills and tactics to outwit Wile E. Coyote. He always stays focused on his future. The World of Work, Leadership, Perception, and Problem Solving Giving students a visual image of the world of work can act as a useful context for a management or organizational behavior course. Issues such as the meaning of work, work attitudes, and
supervisory behavior are easily discussed in oral or written form. Developing a visual image of these issues comes easier
from film, especially the strong visualization of animated film. The opening scenes of Antz offer some striking visual images of the world of work and commentary about it. Showing
8
these scenes at the beginning of a course can engagingly set a context of the world of work to which you can often refer. film is rich enough in scenes that you can assign the entire film for group analysis or individual homework assignments. comment on some scenes later in this section. I This
9
Antz (Color, 1998, 1 hour 23 minutes, PG) (Publisher: DreamWorks Home Entertainment)
Z (Woody Allen) is an insignificant worker ant in a massive ant colony.1 He is trying to find his role in life and pursue Everything changes after he
Princess Bala (Sharon Stone).
trades places with his soldier ant friend Weaver (Sylvester Stallone). A termite war and the pursuit of the evil General
Mandible (Gene Hackman) takes Z's life to unexpected places. This DreamWorks production is a wonderful example of modern computer animation. Scenes (Start: 0:04:11 -- Stop: 0:11:21 -- 7 minutes)
These scenes start after the opening credits with a shot of the New York skyline. Z says in the voiceover, "All my life They end as General
I've lived and worked in the big city."
Mandible and Colonel Cutter (Christopher Walken) leave to meet the queen. Questions What are the major work-related issues raised in these scenes? Analysis Z symbolically represents any worker who does not feel his or her job meaningfully contributes to self and the larger organization. The ant colony asks its members to give up their Do you see these issues in your work experiences? What is your preferred "world of work?" Mandible says, "Our very next stop, Cutter."
10
individuality and contribute to the greater good.
Azteca
(Jennifer Lopez) has a positive view which Z finds hard to understand. The foreman (Grant Shaud) symbolically represents
supervisors in the world of work who do not understand human motivation. The General Mandible part of these scenes (0:09:50 -0:11:26 -- 2) can work well on its own. Mandible has the
leadership traits of dominance, self-confidence, intelligence, and energy. He lacks honesty and integrity. His behavior is
strongly production centered and high in initiating structure. He sets high performance goals and expects high performance. For example, Mandible said to the foreman, "You are going to finish this tunnel on schedule, come hell or high water." Another set of scenes (0:51:04 -- 0:56:59 -- 6) symbolically show some parts of human perceptual processes. and Bala have discovered part of "Insectopia." They find a They Z
human picnic with cans of soda, sandwiches, and the like.
also have an encounter with a boy walking through the picnic. Every object appears gigantic to them. perceptual targets. The objects are the
Their size emphasizes an aspect of an
object that affects one's detection and recognition threshold. These wonderfully entertaining, vivid scenes should create powerful images in your student's minds about these abstract concepts. The film's closing scenes show problem solving (1:13:37 -1:20:07 -- 7). colony. The problem is how to escape from the flooding
Z has the innovative idea of building a giant ladder 11
from the ants to reach the megaroom's roof. in a dramatic close to the film. Theory X and Theory Y
They escape safely
Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y (McGregor, 1960) has been a prominent part of organizational behavior and management teaching since the 1960s. Managers who hold Theory X
assumptions believe people do not like to work, have little ambition, and avoid responsibility. Managers who hold Theory Y
assumptions believe that work is a natural part of people's lives, people will seek responsibility, and can commit to work goals without external control. Those who hold Theory X
assumptions typically behave in a dominant, controlling way. Those who hold Theory Y assumptions rely on self-motivation to reach work goals. The film Babe has an early scene that shows Theory X and Theory Y assumptions.2 The scenes make visual points about these
assumptions and related behavior better than any number of words. These scenes also work well for showing aspects of workforce diversity and performance. A discussion of this use
of these and other scenes from Babe appears elsewhere (Champoux, 1999b). Babe (Color, 1995, 1 hour 32 minutes, G) (Publisher: Universal Studios Home Video)
12
A charming Australian film featuring an eccentric quiet farmer who trains a pig he won at the fair to herd his sheep.3 His eccentricity turns to determination when he enters the pig in the Australian National Sheepdog Championships. Academy
Award winning visual effects include a seamless mixture of animatronic doubles, computer images, and live animals. Scenes (Start: 0:44:10 -- Stop: 0:50:25 -- 6 minutes)
The scenes start with Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) opening his new motor-powered gate and calling his dogs. Hoggett says, "Come Rex. Come Fly. Come Pig." The scenes end
as a horse drawn wagon goes down a hill.
Babe (Christine Fly says to The
Cavanaugh) and Fly (Miriam Margoles) are talking. Babe, "No, no, now.
I think you better leave that to me."
sheep refer to the dogs as "wolves." Questions Are Babe's methods of herding sheep different from those used by sheepdogs? differences? Do Rex (Hugo Weaving) and Fly behave according to Theory X or Theory Y assumptions? of their behavior? Which assumptions guide Babe's behavior? examples of his behavior? Analysis Rex and Fly behaved according to a clear set of Theory X assumptions. They assumed the sheep were inferior to sheep What are What are examples If yes, what are the
13
dogs.
The sheep are dumb so they must use aggressive, dominant Babe starts with the same set of
behavior to herd them.
assumptions but quickly learns they do not fit his basic philosophy. He believes that by winning the sheeps' cooperation
and treating them with respect (Theory Y) will get the herding job done. The resulting sheep behavior also differs under the Rex and Fly's Theory X behavior resulted
different assumptions.
in a disorderly herd; Babe's Theory Y behavior resulted in an orderly herd. Diversity Symbolism The term workforce diversity refers to differences in workforce composition based on factors such as marital status, religion, sex, and ethnicity. Increases in workforce diversity Major management issues
are likely well into the 21st century.
center on dimensions of diversity, managing diversity, managing for diversity, and valuing diversity (Fernandez, 1991; Hayles & Russell, 1997; Jackson and Associates, 1992). The rich, vivid colors of animated film, and its compact character, offer chances for strong symbolism of concepts. A
short scene from The Little Mermaid combines upbeat music with fast animated symbols that you can link to different aspects of diversity. Scenes (Start: 0:39:42 -- Stop: 0:43:03 -- 3 minutes)
These scenes start with Sebastian the Crab (Samuel E. Wright) saying to Ariel, "Ariel, listen to me." He then begins The scenes
the Academy of Award winning song, Under the Sea.
14
end with Sebastian sitting on a formation saying, "Somebody's got to nail that girl's fins to the floor." someone calling Sebastian. Questions What are the symbols of diversity in these scenes? Does Sebastian argue for the acceptance or rejection of diversity? Is there any symbolic portrayal of diversity and performance? Analysis These scenes show diversity among the sea life as engaging visual symbolism. There are almost unlimited differences in The creatures The movie cuts to
sizes, shapes, and functions of these creatures.
differ from each other, but they contribute to life under the sea. Although different, the creatures accept and respect their The end of the scenes shows especially vivid
differences.
symbolism of diversity. Sebastian argues for accepting the differences among sea life. He strongly urges Ariel to reject the surface creatures The scenes also show examples of Different sea creatures played
and stay under the sea.
diversity and performance.
different instruments but all contributed to the total musical performance. Leadership and Leadership Effects A stunning sequence toward the end of A Bug's Life shows emergent leadership and leadership effects on a group. Other
15
scenes from the film show the absence and presence of diversity, a topic treated elsewhere (Champoux, 1999b). short enough for classroom use. All scenes are
You also can assign the entire
film as an outside-of-class activity.
16
A Bug's Life (Color, 1998, 1 hour 35 minutes, G) (Publisher: Walt Disney Home Video)
A group of freeloading grasshoppers dominate an ant colony.5 Hopper (Kevin Spacey), the grasshoppers' leader, perceives ants as an inferior species put on earth to serve grasshoppers. otherwise conformist colony includes Flik (Dave Folly), a nonconformist, innovative ant. He tries to defend the colony These The
with a group of warrior bugs he recruits in the city.
bugs were laid-off troupers from a flea circus, a fact unknown to Flik. Introducing the heterogeneous bugs to the ant colony
leads to mayhem, humor, and finally, success. Scenes (Start: 1:30:51 -- Stop: 1:34:22 -- 6 minutes)
These scenes start after the burning bird machine crashs. Hopper grabs Dot (Harden Pacesetter) as she runs out of the machine. They end after the ants and their friends put Hopper Flik salutes him and says, "Happy landing
into the cannon. Hopper." Questions
The movie cuts to a rain storm.
Who are the leaders in these scenes? Are leaders always in formal organizational positions or can they emerge within a group because of their behavior?
What are the effects of leadership on the ant colony?
17
Analysis Hopper tries to put the ants in their secondary place of serving the grasshoppers. shoving losers." He refers to them as "mindless, soil
Flic's impassioned speech convinces the ants He tells Hopper about their
of their self-worth.
accomplishments, something the ants had not thought of before. Flik emerges as a leader among the ants. Princess Atta
(Julian Louis-Dreyfus), with a more formal position in the colony, also reasserts herself. The ant colony, and the
recently arrived other bugs, become cohesive with a strong focus on defeating the grasshoppers. The animation shows the spread
of this cohesiveness as a wave of arm linking through the crowd. Stereotype A stereotype is an image held by an observer of another person or group. The stereotype is a mental image formed from
knowledge about a social group derived from any source. Stereotypes let people quickly form impressions of others during the process of social perception. They can act as a simplifying
device helping people process vast amounts of social information. A major drawback of a stereotype is an assumption This
of homogeneity among members of a particular group.
presumed homogeneity can slow an observer's appreciation of the fine differences among people of all groups (Brehm & Kassin, 1990, pp. 146-154; Mackie & Hamilton, 1993). Disney's The
Little Mermaid has a scene that visually shows the meaning of a stereotype.
18
Scenes (Start:
1:01:12 -- Stop:
1:05:58 -- 6 minutes)
These scenes start with Sebastian the Crab jumping from a shirt hanging on a clothes line into the window of the castle's kitchen. He sees seafood in preparation and becomes alarmed.
The movie cuts briefly to the dining room where Ariel enters in her new clothes. It returns to Sebastian's adventure at the hands of Chef Louis (Ren‚ Auberjonois). The scenes end as
Grimsby (Ben Wright) looks at his empty plate with surprise. Questions What is your impression of Chef Louis? To what do you attribute his behavior? Is this an accurate portrayal of a French chef or a caricature based on stereotype? Analysis Louis the French chef sings Les Poissons (The Fish) while preparing the seafood. Louis prepares the food with love and
gusto, his large body moving about the kitchen, knives flailing, mustache twitching. accent. He speaks English with a strong French
After he picks up Sebastian, Louis peppers his English "Tout … l'heure!" (In a
with some exclamatory French idioms:
little while!); "Sacrebleu!" (Good grief!); "Quel dommage" (What a shame!). escapes. These scenes show a stereotype of a French chef carried to an extreme in an animated caricature. differences among French chefs. There are likely many He becomes excitable and angry when Sebastian
Not all French people insert
French idioms when speaking English nor do all French people act
19
with such anger.
Although an animated character, Louis is
likable while singing Les Poissons and less lovable in his quest to cook Sebastian. Of course, you decide about both the
accuracy of the stereotype and the attributions of his behavior. Personality Personality is a set of traits, characteristics, and predispositions of a person. mature at about age 30. These characteristics usually
They come from many sources including The
inherited qualities and a person's social environment.
collection of traits and predispositions affects how the person adjusts to different environmental and behavioral demands (Kenrick, Montello, & MacFarlane, 1985; McCrae & Costa, 1994; Snyder & Ickes, 1985). Personality psychologists characterize personality with personality dimensions or as personality types. They strongly
agree that five dimensions describe human personality (Digman, 1990; McCrae, 1989; Wiggins & Pincus, 1992). The following
lists the Big-Five personality dimensions with bipolar adjectives describing the low and high ends of each dimension. Extroversion: reserved - talkative anxious - secure
Emotional stability: Agreeableness:
cold - caring careless - organized unimaginative - imaginative
Conscientiousness:
Openness to experience:
Personality types that many find useful to describe personality include the Type A personality and the Myers-Briggs
20
Type Indicator(R) (MBTI).
Type A personalities have a strong
sense of time urgency, engage in many activities at once, and have aggressive qualities. They are high achievers who
continually pursue difficult goals (Friedman & Booth-Kewley, 1988). The MBTI is a popular personality assessment device based on Jung's personality theory (Jung, 1921/1971). This device
assigns people to one of sixteen personality types based on four bipolar dimensions: extroverted (E) - introverted (I); sensing
(S) - intuitive (I); thinking (T) - feeling (F); perceiving (P) - judging (J). Extroverts look outward; introverts turn inward. Thinkers are
Sensers use data; intuitives use hunches. objective; feelers are subjective. judgers want closure. indicators.
Perceivers are flexible;
The letters in parentheses form type
An ESTJ, for example, is an extroverted, sensing,
thinking, and judging type.6 Some scenes from Who Framed Roger Rabbit show each of these aspects of personality. with murder. Valiant. The police have charged Roger Rabbit
He seeks the help of private detective Eddie
This scene is a strong visual symbol of personality Students will have little
and personality characteristics.
trouble identifying the personality characteristics or types just described. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Color, 1988, 1 hour 44 minutes, PG) (Publisher: Touchstone Home Video)
21
This four-time Academy Award winning film combines animation and live-action to present a 1940 Hollywood in which the cartoon characters ('toons) have a life of their own. Roger
Rabbit (Charles Fleischer) hires 'toon hating detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) to find Roger's unfaithful wife Jessica (Kathleen Turner). While investigating, Valiant stumbles onto a
conspiracy to destroy all 'toons. Scenes (Start: 0:36:13 -- Stop: 0:41:45 -- 6 minutes)
These scenes start after Eddie Valiant enters his office and closes the door. It ends after Valiant says to Roger, They just want the rabbit." Gun
"What's all this we stuff.
shots blast off the door knob and the weasels enter. Questions Which Big-5 personality dimensions best describe Roger? Is he a Type-A personality? Why?
Which dimensions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R) (MBTI) best describe Roger's personality?
Analysis Roger shows typical aggressive and hurried Type A personality characteristics and several Big-Five personality dimensions. He is high on extroversion, agreeableness, and Roger shows insecurity and anxiousness,
openness to experience.
implying that he is low on emotional stability. An MBTI analysis shows him high in extroversion, intuition, feeling, and perceiving, making him an EIFP. His fast outgoing
22
behavior represents extroversion.
His speculation about what Feeling shows in his
will happen to him represents intuition.
love for Jessica and appreciation of Eddie Valiant's background. Perceiving shows in his outrageous spontaneity and curiosity. Metamorphosis in Socialization Organizational behavior textbooks often describe the organizational socialization process as happening in a series of related stages. The metamorphosis stage is the last stage in This change
which a person experiences change in self-image. can be small such as arriving at work on time.
It also can be a
large transformation such as what new recruits experience toward the end of basic military training. Although instructors can describe the large change that is possible in the metamorphosis stage, students will benefit from a visual portrayal. Scenes from live-action films such as An
Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Full Metal Jacket (1987) or G.I. Jane (1997) offer such visualization, but they are harsh and can jar some viewers. I suggest a Snow White scene as a less harsh These scenes show
way of showing the meaning of metamorphosis.
the transformation of the Queen into the old woman peddler who wants to give Snow White a poison apple. This scene visually
symbolizes the meaning of metamorphosis in socialization. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Color, 1937, 1 hour 24 minutes, G) (Publisher: Walt Disney Home Video)
23
Walt Disney's first feature-length animated film adapts the famous brothers Grimm fairy tale. The studio developed new To get Marge
animation techniques to get smooth character movement. further realism, Disney hired live actors as models.
Belcher (later Marge Champion), a local dancer, modeled for Snow White (Connors and Craddock, 1999, p. 823; Culhane, 1986, chap. 8; Kanfer, 1997, pp. 101-108. The jealous Queen (Lucille La Verne), Snow White's stepmother, fears Snow White's beauty. She transforms herself
into an old hag and convinces Snow White to eat a poisoned apple. Snow White falls into the Sleeping Death that only a Her Seven Dwarf
handsome Prince Charming's kiss can end.
friends try to protect her in their forest house and stand watch over her sleep. Scenes (Start: 0:52:38 -- Stop: 0:55:45 -- 3 minutes)
The scene starts with the Queen descending the stairs to her evil laboratory. She has just learned that Snow White is They end
alive and now wants to develop a way of killing her.
after the Queen's transformation into the old woman peddler. She leers at the camera, the screen goes black, and the film cuts to the Seven Dwarfs' house where everyone is singing. Questions Does the transformation of the Queen to the old hag symbolically show the result of the metamorphosis stage of socialization?
24
Can metamorphosis in organizational socialization reach such extreme results in a real setting?
What types of organizations feature such powerful socialization processes?
Analysis The transformation of the Queen into the old woman peddler is unmistakable, although not done by an organizational socialization process. She goes from a tall, regal middle-aged
woman in royal attire to a humped-back old woman in tattered black clothes. Her chiseled face becomes haggard; her finely The Queen's smooth, shapely hands Her voice, now an old hag's
shaped nose becomes hooked.
become gnarled and sharply pointed. cackle, even scares her raven.
These scenes are obvious
animation caricature but serve well as a visual symbol of the results of the metamorphosis stage of organizational socialization. Motivation and Needs Motivation is an internal psychological process that energizes and points the behavior of a person toward some goal. Typical college management and organizational behavior textbooks describe the need-based motivation theories such as Murray or Maslow. Central to these theories is the hypothetical concept of need (Murray, 1938, p. 60). I often jest with my students that
I have not seen any needs running around loose, but we believe
25
they play a role in motivation. to visually portray needs.
I have long searched for a way
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has some scenes that metaphorically show motivation, needs, and motivated behavior. Tigger does what Tigger's do best--bounce, bounce, bounce, a highly motivated behavior. His bouncing annoys Rabbit who will
do almost anything to stop him. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Color, 1977, 1 hour 23 minutes, G) (Publisher: Buena Vista Home Video)
Disney's animated presentation of A. A. Milne's charming characters follows them through a series of adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, and the others
offer engaging performances. The recommended scenes are a visual symbol of motivation and needs. Scenes (Start: 1:16:32 -- Stop: 1:22:21 -- 6 minutes)
These scenes start with Pooh and Piglet seeing something (Tigger) in a tree. Pooh says, "Look . . . look, Piglet. They end after Tigger
There's something in that tree over there."
Tigger's bouncing and he says, "I'm the only one." roars.
The film cuts to an image of a story book showing,
"Chapter X, In Which." Questions What needs, in a figurative sense, is Tigger trying to satisfy? What needs motivate Rabbit?
26
Observe the changes in Tigger's behavior after his needs are frustrated. Did Tigger change again after
he satisfied his basic need? Analysis Tigger is stuck in a tall tree with his friend Roo.7 Christopher Robin and his friends find Tigger and encourage him to climb down. Tiggers cannot climb, they can only bounce.
Rabbit has always believed that Tigger was over-motivated and would become a better person if he did not bounce. He finally
promises to never bounce again, if he can get out of the tree. Rabbit tries to hold him to his promise after he gets down. Tigger quickly becomes despondent from not satisfying his "bouncing need." Christopher Robin and his friends agree that
the old bouncing Tigger is better than the new non-bouncing one. A highly motivated, bouncing Tigger shows everyone what Tigger's do best. Motivation, Problem Solving, and Innovation Toy Story has a set of scenes that show motivation, problem solving, and innovation. You can use these scenes in a
continuous showing starting with the first scene described below. You also can split the scenes so the first focuses only
on motivation and esteem needs while the second focuses on problem solving and innovation. emphasize their separate use. Toy Story (Color, 1995, 1 hour 21 minutes, G) I describe them separately to
27
(Publisher:
Walt Disney Home Video)
This captivating and emotionally deep story tells us what we have always suspected. Toys have a life and social
organization of their own when humans are not present. Andy's (John Morris) favorite toy is Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks). He receives a new toy as a birthday gift, Buzz Buzz's presence disrupts
Lightyear, Space Ranger (Tim Allen).
the established social order, especially Woody's senior status among the toys. Concern about remaining as Andy's favorite The
induces conflict between Woody, Buzz, and the other toys.
tension increases because Buzz thinks he is a real space ranger, not a toy. Watch for the early scene of Mr. Potato Head (Don This was the
Rickles) calling the hockey puck a hockey puck!
first feature length film to use only computer animation. Scenes (Start: 1:07:59 -- Stop: 1:11:45 -- 4 minutes)
These scenes start with an outside shot of Sid's house during a thunderstorm. box. Woody needs Buzz's help to get out of a
Buzz had seen a television commercial advertising him as a They end
toy, his first sense of not being a real space ranger. after Sid's alarm clock rings. Questions
Do Woody and Buzz need each other to solve the problem of getting out of Sid's room?
What is Buzz's level of self-esteem at this point? How does Woody motivate Buzz?
28
Analysis Woody is trapped under a box held down by Sid's tool box. Sid (Orik Von Detten), a near psychopath, is mean to his toys. Woody needs Buzz Lightyear's help to get out of the box. Buzz
has low self-esteem because he has learned he is not a real space ranger, only a toy. He is unmotivated to do anything,
simply sitting slumped on Sid's bedroom floor. Woody focuses on Buzz's esteem needs by telling him that toys serve important roles. He describes Buzz's desirable
qualities as a toy, such as glowing in the dark and his helmet's "whoosh" sound. Woody concludes, "You are a cool toy!" He
focused on the self-esteem part of Buzz's esteem needs until Buzz began to feel good about himself again. Buzz recovers his self-esteem and becomes motivated to help. box. He exerts extraordinary effort to get Woody out of the Woody's escape could not have happened without the Such collaborative
collaboration and cooperation of Buzz.
behavior becomes the highlight of the rest of the film. Scenes (Start: 1:11:59 -- Stop: 1:26:17 -- 14 minutes)
The second set of scenes start with Woody crawling out from under Sid's tool box. with his arm. He runs to the door to hold it closed
They end after Woody and Buzz wink at each other The movie fades to Andy's new
while sitting in Andy's lap.
house with jingling bells and falling snow. Questions What problem is Woody and Buzz trying to solve?
29
Do Woody and Buzz need each other to solve the problem?
What innovations did they create to solve their problem?
Analysis The problem facing Woody and Buzz has three parts: (1)
Get out of Sid's room without getting bitten by his dog Scud, (2) Release Buzz before Sid launches him on a rocket, (3) catch
up with Andy's family who are moving to their new home. Woody first gets the cooperation of Sid's bizarre toys. They all hate Sid because of his meanness toward them. The toys
agree to help and develop a series of innovations based on their unique qualities. Woody and the toys turn Sid on himself and he Woody and Buzz then go on a wild chase for First, the
runs into the house.
the moving van creating innovations along the way.
radio controlled car; second, the spectacular rocket launch of Buzz and landing in the family car. Notice that they drop RC The
the car into the van before going on to the family car.
collaborative behavior included saving all of Andy's toys. Toy Story also works well as a full length film for student analysis as homework. The film includes observations and
examples on social interaction, social status, conflict, cooperative behavior, superordinate goals, and the concepts I described above. Caution your students to not excuse this film It is a complex and richly
as simply a children's cartoon.
crafted film about many aspects of modern living.
30
Socialization, Power, and Leadership The Lion King has scenes at different places that show socialization, power, and leadership. that can work well in the classroom. I describe two scenes This film is so rich that
it will work well as an individual or group homework assignment. The Lion King (Color, 1994, 1 hour 28 minutes, G) (Publisher: Waltz Disney Home Video)
Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), a young lion cub, is the rightful successor to his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones) as king of the jungle. Simba's envious Uncle Scar (Timothy Irons) Scar
plots to take over the throne, leading to a tragic result. convinces Simba he is responsible for the tragedy.
He lives in
exile with his new friends Pumbaa (Ernie Sabela) the warthog and Timon (Nathan Lane) the manic meerkat. They teach him a
carefree lifestyle until Simba realizes he should return to Pride Rock to reclaim the throne. Scenes (Start: 0:51:37 -- Stop: 0:58:43 -- 7 minutes)
These scenes start with an aerial shot of Simba lying on the desert floor. The vultures have arrived. Pumpaa and Timon
gallop into the vultures scaring them off.
The scenes end as
the iris closes and the movie cuts to Scar lounging and eating. Zasu the dodo bird (Rowan Atkinson) is in a cage. Questions Do Pumpaa and Timon socialize Simba to their values and lifestyle?
31
What did they do to affect Simba's values and behavior?
Does Simba pass through the metamorphosis stage of socialization?
Analysis Pumpaa and Timon try to socialize Simba to their values and lifestyle. worries." Timon. The values strongly center on "hakuna matata," "no Simba at first shows reluctance to accept Pumpaa and
He begins to show acceptance as he starts singing The strongest indication of his acceptance He says, "Slimy, The
"Hakuna Matata."
appears after he chokes down his first bug.
yet satisfying," repeating what Timon said earlier.
metamorphosis appears as the three walk across a log and young Simba transforms into adult Simba (Matthew Broderick). Scenes (Start: 1:20:10 -- Stop: 1:33:44 -- 14 minutes)
The second set of scenes start with a shot of the sun and Simba returning to Pride Rock to challenge Scar. They end as
Rafiki (Robert Guilliame) holds the new lion cub for all the kingdom to see. Lion King. Questions What are Scar's bases of power? What are Simba's bases of power? What are the leadership qualities of Scar and Simba? The film cuts to a title screen that reads, The
32
Analysis Scar has legitimate power as king of the jungle although the others do not accept him. beginning of these scenes. is the king. The hyenas supported him in the
Scar even says the hyenas believe he
He also feels he can do anything he wants as king.
As the scenes unfold, we begin to see Simba's power base building and the attribution of the lionesses that he is king. After learning that Scar killed his father, Simba rallies himself to fight Scar. The hyenas turn on Scar after they learn This part of the scene shows the Scar lacked integrity
his true beliefs about them.
importance of integrity in leadership. and failed in the leadership role.
Simba becomes king, gaining the legitimate power of that role. He also has referent power (charisma) that stirs the The closing scenes have strong symbolism Simba's kingdom
kingdom to follow him.
of the meaning of leadership transformation. goes from ruins to a rich, lush valley. CONCLUSIONS
One hundred years of animated cinema offer a rich teaching resource for educators and trainers. Animation's captivating
characteristics have entertaining and dramatic examples of many concepts in management and organizational behavior. This
article reviewed some animation history and discussed several examples of cinema animation. The discussions included
descriptions and analyses of selected animated film scenes. The extraordinary visualization of animation can create strong, lasting images of concepts. Animation offers
33
alternatives to live-action scenes that can increase the variety that one brings to the classroom. Animated films often offer Snow White,
less harsh and jarring portrayals of some concepts.
for example, shows metamorphosis in a less harsh way than scenes from G.I. Jane. There are many more animated films and film scenes than those described here. films. Experiment with your favorite animated What can they
Review them from a different perspective.
offer as a teaching resource for management and organizational behavior concepts? Watch for new animated films and assess them for useful scenes. Disney's animated Tarzan became available on videotape, The King and I and The Prince of Egypt appeared
February 2000.
on videotape during 1999. Vary the way in which you use scenes (Champoux, 1999a). earlier suggested a before or after approach. repeat scenes for added effect. You also can I
Interspersing animated film
scenes with live-action film scenes can bring variety and vitality to the classroom. NOTES 1. Originally suggested by Greg McNeil, undergraduate student, The Robert O. Anderson School of Management, The University of New Mexico, Fall 1998. 2. I thank Dr. Diana Bilimoria, Editor, Journal of Management Education, for suggesting this use of these scenes.
34
3.
Film and scene descriptions originally appeared in Champoux, J. E. in film. (1999). Seeing and valuing diversity
Educational Media International 36, 310-316. The questions and analysis are
Used with permission. original. 4.
Film and scene descriptions, and a small part of the analysis, originally appeared in Champoux, J. E. (1999). Seeing and valuing diversity in film. Used
Educational Media International 36, 310-316. with permission.
The questions and most of the
analysis are original. 5. Film and scene descriptions originally appeared in Champoux, J. E. in film. (1999). Seeing and valuing diversity
Educational Media International 36, 310-316. The questions and analysis are
Used with permission. original. 6. Taken from Champoux, J. behavior:
(2000).
Organizational
Essential tenets for a new millennium. South-Western College Publishing,
Cinncinati, OH: page 87. 7.
Used with permission.
Yvette A. Castro, engineering graduate student, The University of New Mexico, was the first to nudge me toward Winnie the Pooh as a source of film scenes, Spring 1998. She also contributed to this analysis.
35
REFERENCES Adamson, L. (1974). Suspended animation. In G. Mast and
M. Cohen (Eds.), Film theory and criticism: readings (pp. 391-400). Barrier, M. (1999). New York:
Introductory
Oxford University Press. American
Hollywood cartoons: New York:
animation in its golden age. Press. Bendazzi, G. (1994).
Oxford University
Cartoons:
One hundred years of Bloomington,
cinema animation (Anna Taraboletti-Segre, Trans.). IN: Indiana University Press. Brehm, S. S., & Kassin, S. M. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. (1999a). (1990).
Social psychology.
Champoux, J. E.
Film as a teaching resource.
Journal of Management Inquiry, 8, 240-251. Champoux, J. E. through film. (1999b). Seeing and valuing diversity
Educational Media International, 36, 310-316. (1998). Gender relations
Comer, D. R., & Cooper, E. A.
and sexual harassment in the workplace: Disclosure as a teaching tool. 22, 227-241. Connors, M., & Craddock, J. (Eds.) golden movie retriever. Crafton, D. (1996). Detroit:
Michael Crichton's
Journal of Management Education,
(1999).
VideoHound's
Visible Ink Press. In G. Nowell-
Tricks and animation.
Smith (Ed.), The Oxford history of world cinema (pp. 71-78). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Talking Animals and Other People. New
Culhane, S. (1986). York:
St. Martin's Press, 1986.
36
Digman, J. M.
(1990).
Personality structure:
Emergence
of the Five-Factor model.
In M. R. Rosenzweig & L. W. Porter
(Eds.), Annual Review of Psychology, 41, 417-440. Ebert, R. (1998, June 19). Mulan captures best of Disney
magic, Venue, Albuquerque Journal, p. E5. Fernandez, J. P. New York: (1991). Managing a diverse workforce.
Lexington Books. (1988). Validity of
Friedman, H. S., & Booth-Kewley, S. the Type A construct: 381-384. Gallos, J. V. and videos. (1993). A reprise.
Psychological Bulletin, 104,
Teaching about reforming with films
Journal of Management Education, 17, 127-132. (1990). Ripley,
Harrington, K. V., & Griffin, R. W. Burke, German, and Friends: leadership and power. Review, 14, 79-86. Hayles, V. R., & Russell, A. M. directive: Chicago:
Using the film "Aliens" to teach
The Organizational Behavior Teaching
(1997).
The diversity
Why some initiatives fail & what to do about it. Irwin Professional Publishing. (1981). Animation: A reference guide.
Hoffer, T. W. Westport, CT:
Greenwood Press. (1992). Diversity in The
Jackson S. E., & Associates (Eds.). the workplace: Guilford Press.
Human resources initiatives.
New York:
37
Jung, C. G. Jung, Vol. 6:
(1921/1971).
The collected works of C. G.
Psychological types (H. G. Baynes, trans.; Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
revised by R. F. Hull). Press. Kanfer, S. (1997).
Serious business:
The art and
commerce of animation in America from Betty Bop to Toy Story. New York: Scrubber. (1985).
Kenrick, D. T., Montello, D. R., & MacFarlane, S. Personality: sociobiology? in Personality: Greenwich, CT: Social learning, social cognition, or
In R. Hosanna & W. H. Jones (Eds.), Perspectives A Research Annual (Vol. 1, pp. 201-234). JAI Press. (1993). Seven minutes: The life and death Verso.
Klein, N. M.
of the American animated cartoon. Konigsberg, I. ed.). New York: (1997).
New York:
The complete film dictionary (2d
Penguin Reference. (1993). Affect,
Mackie, D. M., & Hamilton, D. L. (Eds.). cognition, and stereotyping: perception. San Diego, CA: (1989).
Interactive processes in group Academic Press, Inc. Why I advocate the Five-Factor
McCrae, R. R. model:
Joint factor analyses of the NEO-PI with other In D. M. Buss & N. Cantor (Eds.), Personality Recent trends and emerging directions (pp. 237Springer-Verlag. (1994). The stability Current
instruments. psychology: 245).
New York:
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. of personality:
Observations and evaluations.
directions in psychological science, 3, 173-75. 38
McGregor, D. York:
(1960).
The human side of enterprise.
New
McGraw-Hill, Inc. (1987a). The strategy concept I: Five Ps
Mintzberg, H. for strategy.
California Management Review, 30(1), 11-24. (1987b). The strategy concept II: California Another
Mintzberg, H.
look at why organizations need strategies. Management Review, 30(1), 25-32. Murray, H. A. York: (1938).
Explorations in personality.
New
John Wiley & Sons, 1938. (1929, August 14). The cartoon comedy. The New
Peet, C.
Republic, 341-342. Ross, J. (1996). Scorcese's The Age of Innocence: An
escalation interpretation. 276-285. Snyder, M., & Ickes, W. behavior.
Journal of Management Education, 20,
(1985).
Personality and social
In G. Lindzey & E. Aronson (Eds.), Handbook of social New York: Random House.
psychology (Vol. II, pp. 883-947). White, K.
(1931, October/December).
Animated cartoons.
The Hound & Horn, pp. 102–105. Wiggins, J. S., & Pincus, A. L. Structure and assessment. (1992). Personality:
In M. R. Rosenzweig & L. W. Porter
(Eds.), Annual Review of Psychology, 43, 473-504.
39